egg

Indeed, although the EV the production is at least as much for the global market as their domestic market. It staggers me that people think their EV is green, completely ignoring how the energy is made to produce and run the things, where the ingredients for the batteries come from, and how they're mined using fossil fuelled vehicles and machinery. That's before we get to recycling the things when they die. EV's are a huge con.

China are not moving in a green direction in a way that improves the picture. They build more coal fired power stations a year than we build major hospitals. China's focus on this issue is to dominate the global EV car market, and BYD overtaking Tesla tells us how well they're doing. Anything we do here, in reality, will not make a blind bit of difference. And that's before we get started on the environmental damage caused in battery production, etc.

Your idea of "help" is a "gift", not help. Loans helped businesses through difficult times and should be repaid. I'm not sure why there's this expectation that the state gifts monies.

Indeed. And a loan is help.

Sadly 5 and 10 year UK Gilts are going in the same direction.

A balanced Ed Conway piece - we're not in crisis territory, yet, is a fair assessment. https://news.sky.com/story/markets-hostile-to-reevess-budget-but-were-not-in-crisis-territory-yet-13245638

Yes, but the issue for us are the sectors that have been hit very hard, the pound dropping, and gilt yields rising. Not a good combination.

Examples - Smith & Nephew down 12.48%, Persimmon 7.47%, Taylor Wimpey 6.7%, Howden/Whitbread/Barratt all down over 5%. Similar on the 250 - Bellway, Crest, Wetherspoon etc. Housing and alcohol related stock has taken a battering today.The market isn't seeing optimism in those sectors.

I don't lean to either, and on the whole liked the budget, but don't like the market reaction.

The market reaction hasn't been great, that's for sure. Pound down, stocks down (some big falls on the ftse 100 and 250), and most worryingly bond yields up. Inflationary pressure already.

I won't continue this whitey. I have 100+ employees, I understand the basics here, and a bit more. Employers NI being a payment by employers from their money, and employees paying from their money, is not a complicated thing.

I don't think there's doubt about that. It's a tax on the employer paid in addition to the gross salary. It's paid by the employer to HMRC in addition to the PAYE and employees NI deducted at source by the employer. It has nothing to do with the employees save that employers will have less cash to pay them as they'll be paying more tax for the privelige of having staff!

There is no trick, and I think you misunderstand. Employers NI is a levy/tax on the employer and is paid by the employer from it's own money in addition to the gross pay to the employee. It is not paid on behalf of the employee from it's salary, that's employee's NI.

You're overcomplicating a simple point. Employers NI is paid by the employer from it's money. Employees NI isn't. The former stifles the employer.

Yep. Naive, unnecessary, and could make a real difference to the outcome.

Employers paying with their money is different to employees paying with theirs.

The hit had to be taken somewhere. Employers or employees was her choice and on balance she got it right imo. That said, the pledge not to reverse the employee NI cut was daft so she had to work with the hand she was dealt.

Ain't that the truth. What we've had today though is refreshing honesty, and a clear explanation that we couldn't afford what we were doing. That said, the budget doesn't really increase the cost to the average punter so in reality they are getting something for nothing. I was dreading armageddon today, and although a massively increased NI bill for my staff isn't ideal, I'm relieved and actually rather pleased with it.

Only relevant to employers employing max 4 people at minimum wage.

Agreed, although the employers NI will sting and probably lead to job losses.

Crystal

Court

Should have scored. Playmaker Stephens involved.

Only 32% possession, so technically they're losing in Russland.

No idea what you're on about mate.